5 ways retailers can get the most from Black Friday

Black Friday marks one of the busiest days in many retailers’ calendars, but how can your business get the most from it?

Whether you have an e-commerce business or an independent high-street store, Black Friday can be a fantastic opportunity to boost sales and create new long-term customers.

But with competition high, you’ll have to keep a few things in mind…

Get social

Social media gives you a great opportunity to both spot trends and get to the forefront of your customers’ minds early on.

Use Twitter to see what products are trending and being talked about, and gauge stock and promotions accordingly. Facebook ads, meanwhile, can work wonders whether you’re an online store or a physical outlet – try regionalising your adverts if you’re local, and re-target customers who’ve previously shown an interest if you’re a web store.

Is your website up to speed?

Firstly, you need to make sure your website is geared up for a surge in traffic. The last thing you’ll want is your site to crash – use a tool such as LoadImpact to test your website’s server load capacity.

Now you’ve got your tech sorted, make sure your design is up to scratch. Make it clear you’re taking part in Black Friday, and give visitors clear, user-friendly call-to-actions to buy.

Consider a form of data capture for those leads that don’t convert. You never know, they may turn into customers at a later date!

Stay safe!

Asda - yes, the same Asda who pretty much introduced the UK to Black Friday - recently announced
they won’t be offering Black Friday deals this year. Why? Carnage in their stores last year!

A heavily increased footfall of bargain-hungry customers can be a recipe for disaster. Staying safe is crucial, and you’ll want to have some robust public liability insurance in place in case there’s any injuries at your premises.

Create regular customers

Don’t think of Black Friday as a once-a-year opportunity to spike sales. Instead, create a lasting impression with seasonal customers and encourage them to visit more often.